>
Following the removal of Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as Vice-Chancellor, the Governing Council of University of Lagos has appointed Prof Omololu Soyombo as acting vice-chancellor (VC).
In a statement titled: ‘RE: NOTICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE REMOVAL OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, AKOKA-LAGOS,’ the institution’s Registrar, Oladejo Azeez, confirmed that Ogundipe was lawfully removed as VC at an emergency meeting held on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
The statement read: “My attention has been drawn to a document circulating under the hand and Signature of the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS. The letter purports to deny his removal by the Governing Council of University at its Emergency Meeting of Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
“For the avoidance of doubt, in my capacity as Registrar and Secretary to Council the only custodian of the minutes of Council and the authorising officer on behalf of Council to issue official statements pertaining to all Council Affairs.
“Members of the public are hereby advised to totally disregard the statement attributed to the said former Vice-Chancellor.
“The position remains that he was lawfully removed by the Governing Council at a meeting fully attended by all council members.
“I also wish to use the opportunity to inform members of the public that Council at the said meeting duly appointed Professor Theophilus Omalolu Soyombo of The Faculty of Social Sciences, the University of Lagos as Vice-Chancellor of the University in an acting capacity.”
Varsity senate, ASUU, others kick
Meanwhile, the various stakeholders in the university community, including the university’s senate, lecturers and non-academic staff, as well as students have reacted to the sack of former VC, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
They said they were yet to understand the real position as regards the situation in the university community.
They also said the removal of Ogundipe was wrong, adding that nothing warrants his removal from office.
They said they had confidence in his person and his style of leadership since he came on board as the vice-chancellor of the university two years ago, noting that his administration follows due process in all its activities.
The two Senate representatives in the governing council of the university, Professors Olukemi Odukoya and Bola Oboh, in different statements, pointed accusing fingers at Babalakin for Ogundipe’s removal, arguing that the governing council did not follow due process.
While noting that Ogundipe was not given an opportunity to defend himself on accusations levelled against his person, they said the action of Babalakin in this regard is tantamount to ridiculing the sitting VC, the university management and therefore condemned it entirety.
They said apart from them, two others who are Professor Foluso Ebun Lesi, who is the provost of the university’s college of medicine, Idi-Araba and Mr John Momoh, the National President of university’s alumni association are against the removal of the VC at the meeting.
They said Babalakin went ahead to announce the removal of the VC against existing protocols, saying six council members had voted in favour of the action.
Also, the chairman of the institution’s Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) of the university, Dr Dele Ashiru, said the process that led to Ogundipe’s removal was full of illegality and therefore would not stand.
According to him, ASUU as a union has confidence in the leadership style of Ogundipe and any attempt to remove him unjustly, would be resisted by the lecturers.
He said: “Babalakin cannot impose anybody on UNILAG and any attempt to do so will be resisted.”
He added: “It was a further confirmation of the union’s earlier position that Dr Wale Babalakin is a lawless, and vindictive pro-chancellor.”
On his part, the acting Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), Mr Olusola Sowunmi, said the union was still studying events would need clarification.
He said all the critical stakeholders within the university system ought to be carried along in a matter like this but nothing of such.